TURA, June 7: After five long months of work stagnation, the corridors of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council were on Monday bustling with people and many a footfall as employees returned to work for the first time in almost twenty weeks following a thaw in relations between the council authorities and the striking workers after reaching an agreement, last week, to address their pending salaries.
While the Executive Committee of the GHADC led by the Chief Executive Member Benedic R Marak attended office, like previous days, for the employees it was the first time in many months.
With most office chambers dishevelled, dusty and in urgent need of a clean up due to absence of any attendance, the first day of work was primarily focussed on a clean up operation as workers went about about cleaning desks, chairs, windows giving a mop up of the floors so as to begin normal function from Tuesday.
The first Executive Committee meeting of the GHADC, post strike, is also expected to take place on Tuesday in the office of the CEM and several issues and agenda, including the salary issue, have been earmarked for discussion, it is reported.
In the meantime, the employees under the Non-Gazetted Employees Association who went on strike are hoping that their demands will be fulfilled at the earliest given the assurance made out during the long drawn out discussions that took place and eventually got sealed, last week.
The Council employees, unpaid for 34 long months, have agreed to the initial payment of five months dues under the old salary scale and subsequent disbursement of their remaining dues as part of the agreement in the coming months.
